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Lawyers and lobbyists play waiting game

Members of the media camp outside the U.S. Supreme Court June 21, 2012, in Washington, D.C., as the Supreme Court is expected to hand down its ruling on the health care reform law before the end of its 2011-2012 term.

Kai Ryssdal: Washington policy wonks are having a very tough time this week, waiting and then waiting some more for Thursday's Supreme Court ruling on health care.

Marketplace's Nancy Marshall-Genzer reports the anticipation is killing them and their productivity.

Nancy Marshall-Genzer: Washington’s many lawyers, lobbyists and professional prognosticators are turning every possible contortion of court opinions over and over in their heads -- going slowly insane.

Ethan Rome: People now have a mental disorder. Hopefully it will pass after this decision on Thursday. But currently, people are just a tad nuts.

That’s Ethan Rome, head of Health Care for America Now. They’ll be at the court on Thursday, supporting the health care law, waving signs.

Emily Holubowich is executive director of the Coalition for Health Funding. Her office is also consumed with the health care drama -- spending time speculating, even discussing the possibility of early happy hours.

Emily Holubowich: You know, starting at 11 o’clock on Thursday for people to either celebrate or drown their sorrows.

Rome: I know that a lot of folks are going to go out and drink heavily Thursday night. But we’re going to go out and organize.

That’s Ethan Rome again. He’s planning a 24-hour, 20-state blitz of rallies right after the decision. And he’s not the only one.

Jennifer Stefano heads the Pennsylvania chapter of Americans for Prosperity and opposes the health care law. She’s sitting out Thursday’s rallies, but expects to be in Washington soon.

Jennifer Stefano: To fight something, and push back on something. So don’t worry, we will be coming again.

Because nothing beats Washington’s next obsession: The presidential elections, just around the corner.